


This Christmas I'll Be Around

by RetroactiveCon



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Autistic Cisco Ramon, Barry Allen has ADHD, Christmas Fluff, Cuddling & Snuggling, Food, Gift Giving, M/M, Polyamory Negotiations, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:29:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28243194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RetroactiveCon/pseuds/RetroactiveCon
Summary: “So do you regularly take in strays for Christmas?” Hartley still sounds prickly. He’s sitting stiffly, too, even though Barry is sitting with him in the backseat. Barry can only wonder how cruelly he was taught not to trust kindness like they’re offering.“No.” Cisco adjusts the rearview mirror to block out the relentless headlights of the car behind them. “I mean, we’ve dragged other team members to parties before, but just inviting someone home with us? Nope, that’s just you."
Relationships: Barry Allen/Cisco Ramon/Hartley Rathaway
Comments: 3
Kudos: 20





	This Christmas I'll Be Around

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blueelvewithwings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueelvewithwings/gifts).



> This was a bit of a last-minute gift fic because blueelvewithwings mentioned being in a Hartmon mood when I was in the middle of holiday fics - but it's done! And Aurelia, since it's for you, it's nothing but tooth-rotting holiday fluff. I hope you enjoy!

Everyone else has gone home for Christmas festivities. Barry and Cisco are, in fact, on their way out when they hear faint clattering coming from one of the labs. 

“Hartley?” Barry peeks his head in. He’s not sure what to expect; Hartley generally keeps them out of his lab with threats of sonic blasts if disturbed. This time, Barry feels he can be allowed an exception. It’s Christmas Eve, after all; even Hartley should be going out and doing…something.

When they enter the lab, Hartley is hard at work on what seems to be a modified EMP. Barry isn’t sure what it’s for, but he knows it can’t possibly be as important as holiday rest. “Hartley, aren’t you going home?”

“Home?” Hartley glances up at them. His voice sounds suspiciously teary. Has he been crying while he works? Barry’s heart breaks for him. “I am home.”

“Hartley.” Cisco sounds slightly impatient. “You have to have a…”

Hartley quirks his eyebrow. With a slightly sinking feeling, Barry looks around the room again. Now that he knows he’s looking for it, he spots the corner of a soft grey blanket peeking from under a lab bench. 

“You sleep _here?”_ he asks, distraught. In months, Hartley has never said anything about not having a home of his own. 

Hartley shrugs. “I basically live here anyway. Why would I pay for a house or apartment I’d never see? Especially since the pay at a nearly-defunct research facility leaves something to be desired.” It’s said with a touch of his defensive prissiness. Barry knows by now that it’s just a ploy. 

“You don’t have anywhere to go?” Cisco’s voice is small and sad. Barry reaches out to take his hand. Cisco’s answering squeeze is firm and lingering. Without a word to each other, they reach the same conclusion. “Come home with us! We have more than enough space, and trust me, tomorrow there’s gonna be way too much food for just the two of us.”

Hartley freezes with the screwdriver still in his hand. He looks utterly befuddled. As seconds go by, his bewilderment turns to anger. “Don’t mock me,” he scolds. “You want me to sit there on the edges of your couple time and enjoy the proximity to all the things I can’t have? Piss off with your holiday kindness bullshit. I have work to do.”

Cisco catches his wrist. Neither of them is really surprised when Hartley pulls away. “Dude, I’m not asking you to come and just be grateful for a seat at the table. I’m asking you because we both really like you, you nerd, and we wanna spend time with you.”

Hartley’s mouth gapes open and he makes a strangled, shocked sound. “I. You want. What?”

Barry catches Hartley’s other hand and tugs lightly. “Come on,” he invites. “Let’s go home.”

Hartley remains completely bewildered until they’re out of STAR Labs. Then he tries to pull away from them. “No. This has gone far enough. I’m not in the mood for jokes.”

“We’re not joking.” Barry leans closer to Hartley’s side, trying to share his body heat as protection against the bitterly cold wind. Adorably, Hartley leans into him. Barry doubts he knows he’s doing it. “We want to bring you home.”

They go home in Cisco’s little car, which he still insists on bringing to work despite Barry’s protests that he can run him. In this case, it’s a good thing; Barry couldn’t have carried both Cisco and Hartley at once. It also means they have the ride home to banter. 

“So do you regularly take in strays for Christmas?” Hartley still sounds prickly. He’s sitting stiffly, too, even though Barry is sitting with him in the backseat. Barry can only wonder how cruelly he was taught not to trust kindness like they’re offering.

“No.” Cisco adjusts the rearview mirror to block out the relentless headlights of the car behind them. “I mean, we’ve dragged other team members to parties before, but just inviting someone home with us? Nope, that’s just you. It helps that we’ve, um. Eep, nope.” He clamps his mouth shut. Barry flinches. Now that Cisco has made it sound like they’re keeping secrets, Hartley won’t let up until he hears them.

“You’ve what?” Hartley wheels on Barry. “You’ve been planning this? How long have you suspected?”

“Easy, no, we didn’t.” Barry holds up his hands. If he’d known Hartley was sleeping in the lab, he’d have done something long before now. Thinking about it too much breaks his heart. “We just. What Cisco was going to say is that we’ve talked about you before. About how we’re both, um. Interested in opening up our home to you. And um. And our relationship.”

In the rearview mirror, he can see Cisco’s eyes roll briefly skyward as though praying that some supernatural force will save them from their shared rambling. (Barry won’t mind if the Speed Force decides to intervene, honestly.) 

At his side, Hartley goes still. “No,” he says harshly. “That’s a cruel joke.”

“It’s not a joke!” Cisco protests. He gets quiet as they pull in—parking takes much of his focus. Once he’s stopped the car, he twists around to face Hartley. “Have you seen yourself? Sure, you’re annoying and kinda snobby, and you sometimes make me want to tear my hair out, but you’re also passionate and loyal and really, really cute, especially when you’re excited.”

For a second, Hartley stops breathing. Barry expects an immediate rejection, because that’s his style—push people away before they can hurt him. Never even consider letting them close. (Barry sort of gets it. He’s let so many people in, only to get hurt every time; he understands the appeal of staying closed off and safe, even though doing so would kill him.) Rather than shut Cisco down, Hartley whispers, “You…you really mean that?”

Both of them nod. Barry rocks slowly back and forth, trying not to give away how hopeful he is. Polyamory came up early in his and Cisco’s relationship. They’d both been half-joking when they suggested Hartley, until they realized that both of them are attracted to him. It had just never seemed like the right time to broach the subject with him. This definitely wasn’t the ideal time, but it’s too late to turn back.

“Yeah,” Cisco promises. “We’ve talked about it a lot, with each other. Obviously we were hoping to talk to you about it in a less…sudden?...setting, but here we are, I guess. We’ll have lots of time to talk about it over a warm dinner.”

Indeed they do. Since it’s only Christmas Eve, they don’t put a whole lot of effort into their dinner. Cisco makes some quick but excellently flavorful grilled cheese sandwiches while Barry sets the table. Hartley stands at the edge of the kitchen and watches. 

“Is there anything I can do?” His voice is so small and shy that Barry’s heart aches. How out of place he must feel, in an apartment he’s never visited, intruding on a well-practiced dinner routine. 

“Sure.” Barry sets silverware on the placemats. “Can you go in the fridge and see what catches your eye to drink? And, um, grab out the water pitcher while you’re in there, please. I’m parched.” It’s a bit melodramatic, but he is thirsty; it’s yet another effect of being a speedster. 

“Yeah, I guess you would be.” Hartley wanders over to the fridge, peers inside, and starts pulling out bottles. “No eggnog?” he asks skeptically. “Somehow I thought Christmas was incomplete without eggnog.”

“Ew, no, it’s so slimy.” Cisco shudders. “Whatever the Wests do with theirs isn’t too bad, but just the straight-from-the-store stuff? No. There should be cider in there, though—I’m gonna make mulled cider tomorrow.”

Hartley brings over the pitcher and sets it in Barry’s reach. “I think I’ll just have water, thanks.”

Barry pours the drinks just as Cisco plates the last of the sandwiches. “So I got creative, because Barry eats like fifteen and gets bored without some variety,” he explains to Hartley. “So…cheese and meat in a couple of combinations, cheese and tomato, couple different types of plain cheese. Help yourself.”

Hartley takes a single sandwich. As he sits down, he asks, “Not even tomato soup, just sandwiches? Wow, this really is a lazy Christmas Eve dinner.”

“Oh, I’ll make up for it tomorrow,” Cisco promises, “but the tomato soup thing is purely the problem of hating it.”

Barry nods. “Utter loathing,” he agrees. He doesn’t like the taste, and dipping a grilled cheese sandwich in it just ruins the sandwich. He was so glad to find out Cisco had a similar loathing for it as he does. It’s made meals like this one so much easier.

Hartley considers his sandwich and starts nibbling the crusts. “I suppose I can agree with that,” he murmurs between mouthfuls.

Hartley finishes first and sits with his hands in his lap. He looks so sad that Barry pokes another sandwich at him. “Please eat some more?” he begs. Because it always works with Cisco, he widens his eyes and pouts unashamedly. 

Hartley pushes it back toward him. “Don’t you have to eat a lot? Don’t give me yours. I’m all right, really.”

“I have enough.” That’s maybe a slight exaggeration, but what Barry says next is true. He drops his voice to a stage whisper and pretends he’s hiding it from Cisco. “Plus, I ate my nutrient bars. All I really need are calories at this point. I can make that up with extra dessert.”

Hartley snorts and covers his mouth with his hand. His laughter, however shocked and secretive, makes Barry’s stomach do giddy little flips. On Hartley’s other side, Cisco seems equally besotted. They both watch until Hartley masters his laughter and slowly, sheepishly accepts the sandwich. “Well, I suppose when you put it that way.” His voice is still giggly-light around the edges, and Barry’s heart soars in turn.

As they finish the last of their sandwiches, Cisco takes the lead. “So. I know I kind of blurted this in the car before any of us were really ready to hear it, but…yes, Barry and I have talked about opening our relationship to you. We hadn’t planned for you to hear it like this, but it never seemed like the right time at STAR Labs, either.”

Quietly, Barry admits, “We’d wanted to take you to Jitters to talk.” He and Cisco had built a shared fantasy about that, that they’d embellished as they lay in bed waiting to fall asleep. They’ve already agreed not to share that detail with Hartley; he might find it too weird. (Barry doesn’t find it weird, because they’d used that time to script for what was inevitably going to be a difficult conversation. But then, he supposes most couples don’t need to script together.)

Hartley draws in a deep, slow breath. “You really want me?” Barry hates to hear his voice so choked with doubt. “The two of you are…you’re sweet, you’re bright. I’m sure you could have anyone you wanted, so why me?”

They take his hands. On instinct, Barry reaches across in front of Hartley to also take Cisco’s free hand. Trio hand-holding, he thinks with a warm, happy glow. “We don’t want anyone else. We talked it over, and you’re just…right, for the two of us. You’re cute, you’re brilliant, and you’ve been protective of us for so long, like…”

“Like I care?” Hartley looks down at their joined hands and admits, “I’ve cared about both of you—the whole team, but the two of you in particular—for longer than I’d ever want to say. I just thought I’d get hurt.”

Cisco gets a crooked little smile. “A lot of times, relationships are…yeah. At the risk of being hurt. But it’s worth it, I hope.”

Barry has never seen Hartley smile so widely. It makes his heart do flips in his chest. “Yes,” he says. The delight in his voice makes Barry happy-flap while still holding their hands. “I want to give this a try. You’re worth it.”

That night, Hartley declines to join them in bed, claiming it will be too awkward. Instead, they make him up a cozy blanket nest on the couch. Bashfully, Barry brings out his Snorlax plush for Hartley to use as a pillow. “So you still have something to cuddle, if not the two of us,” he explains. When Hartley just stares at the plushie, Barry mutters, “Never mind, it’s stupid…”

“No.” Hartley seizes it and holds it to his chest. “No, it’s not stupid. I just don’t want to take your comfort plush, if you still need it.”

“No.” Barry rocks back and forth. Hartley snuggling his Snorlax is one of the most adorable things he’s seen. “I’ve never really cuddled my plushies, they just sort of lay on the bed to keep me company. But he’ll make a good pillow, I hope.”

“We also have pillow-pillows, if you want one of those,” Cisco offers. He rearranges the blankets once more and steps back to survey his work. 

“No.” Hartley curls into the blanket nest and tucks the Snorlax under his head. “He makes a fine pillow. Thank you, Barry.” His fingers brush lightly over Barry’s, like he wants to hold hands but is too shy to initiate it. Barry catches his hand and gives it a squeeze.

“Sleep well.”

Barry and Cisco make it into their bed before clutching at each other and giving a shared, hastily-stifled squeak. “I can’t believe he agreed!” Cisco babbles just as Barry gasps, “He’s willing to try!” 

They cling to each other for a joyful moment. Then Cisco pulls away and stares at Barry in horror. “We don’t have anything to give him tomorrow.”

Barry sits bolt upright. “You’re right!” He doesn’t even know what they could get Hartley that he might like. Maybe something warm? He always seems cold, and he was so happy to have a snuggly blanket nest…that might work. But where could he buy something nice and warm on Christmas?

“Everywhere is probably closed by now,” Cisco laments. “And buying something tomorrow…”

Barry kisses him and rubs his thumb over Cisco’s cheek, trying to stop him from worrying. “I’ll go tomorrow,” he promises. “Some places are open early and then shut at noon. I’ll find him something cozy, just so he has a gift to unwrap.”

Cisco nods and nuzzles along Barry’s jaw. When he speaks, he sounds sleepy. “You’re right, and also the best. And I’m just so…so happy…”

Barry nods and wiggles, though with the mattress against one side, he can’t rock very much. “I love you. Sleep well.”

Cisco’s eyes flutter closed. In moments, he’s asleep and snoring softly. It’s not too long before Barry joins him.

Early the next morning, Barry wakes to a none-too-quiet alarm on his phone. Beside him, Cisco stirs, grumbles, and falls back asleep. Miraculously, he stays asleep through the mini lightning storm of Barry dressing at superspeed. When Barry darts out through the living room, he sees that Hartley is also still peacefully asleep. He’s curled tightly under the blankets with one hand slack around the Snorlax’s paw. Barry wishes he could kiss his brow, but they haven’t discussed physical affection yet. Maybe later. 

He runs out to try to beat the lines, and just manages to snag a lovely forest-green blanket hoodie. On impulse, he also grabs a chocolate orange. He’s noticed that Hartley isn’t one for sweets most of the time, but chocolate oranges are a Christmas tradition; it would be rude not to get him one.

When he gets back, Hartley is just waking up. Barry hurries into the bedroom to stuff Hartley’s gifts in a bag. When he drops out of Flashtime, Cisco is staring at him. Given that Cisco is only half-dressed, Barry thinks he should be the one staring, and immediately does so. 

“So how was it?” Cisco squirms into a soft red sweater—one of Barry’s, unless his eyes deceive him. It looks better on Cisco, though the sleeves are a bit long for him. “Did you get what we discussed?”

Barry holds up the bag. “I did! And I think I’m gonna go start Christmas French toast and…maybe hot chocolate instead of coffee this morning?”

Cisco whines. “No, dude, don’t deprive me of my caffeine! It’s the only thing that keeps me a semi-functional human being!”

“Oh, to still be able to self-medicate with coffee,” Barry sighs melodramatically as he wanders to the kitchen. As a compromise, he stirs up decadent coffee concoctions worthy of Jitters. He also gets a bit carried away with the French toast. By the time Cisco and Hartley join him, pressed up against each other, there are plates of French toast with strawberries, bananas, chocolate, and plenty of whipped cream. 

Hartley lets out a little gasp. “I haven’t seen food like this since I was a kid,” he mutters. “And then I could only have a little…you’re sure this is really okay to eat?”

“Absolutely!” Barry nudges a plate at him and passes him a mug of coffee. Hartley grabs the mug immediately, wraps his hands around it, and clutches it like he’s desperate for the warmth. “There’s plenty for you, too.”

Cisco guides him over to the kitchen table and pulls out his chair for him. Hartley lets out a shocked giggle that Barry wants to hear again. “Such a gentleman,” he says as he sits. “Next I’m expecting a kiss on the hand.”

“Not saying that’s not an option.” Cisco returns for his own mug and plate. “But I’m gonna want your permission before doing anything that bold.”

Hartley blushes and takes a bite of French toast so he doesn’t have to reply. Barry really wants to kiss away the little bit of whipped cream at the corner of his lips, but Cisco is right: permission first. 

When they finish with breakfast, Barry cleans up at superspeed. Hartley protests that he ought to do it, whereupon Barry skids to a stop and says, “No, I wanna hurry up and get to the part where you open your presents!”

Hartley stares. “Presents?” He curls in on himself. “Have you been planning this for so long that you have things to give me? I have nothing to give back.”

Barry runs up close to him and takes his hands. “No, no! I ran out this morning, I’m surprised I didn’t wake you. We just didn’t want you to be sitting there alone with nothing to open while we exchanged gifts.”

Cisco nods enthusiastically and rubs his hand over Hartley’s shoulder. “Didn’t seem fair.”

Hartley sniffles and follows them to the couch. “You’re too sweet,” he murmurs. “I don’t know how I’ll ever pay you back.”

“You don’t have to pay us back.” Barry runs off to get their presents—the joint gift for Hartley, Barry’s gift for Cisco, and, because he’s impatient, Cisco’s gift for him. “We just want you to have a good first Christmas with us.”

Barry is tremendously pleased with his gift from Cisco, which is a tin of all sorts of homemade fudge: plain, some with nuts, some with crushed peppermint bits, and a beautiful milk-and-dark-chocolate swirled one. It won’t last very long, but it will be such a tasty way to get energy. 

Cisco squeaks and happy-flaps upon seeing the stim toy assortment Barry got him: stimmy slime, little soft squishable creatures, a tangle, and three different kinds of chew necklaces, as well as some of his tried-and-true Red Vines. “Thank you!” he yelps. Immediately, he starts pulling everything out of its packaging, chanting, “Stimmy stim,” under his breath.

Hartley unwraps his blanket hoodie and hugs it to his chest. “It’s so nice. I expected something cheap,” he admits, his voice thick and watery around the edges. 

“You need the cozy.” Barry leans over to give him a hug. Like this, he can feel how thin and small Hartley is—no wonder he’s always cold. “For when we can’t be there to snuggle you.”

“Which will be often,” Cisco reminds him gently. He drapes a chew necklace around his throat, stuffs the mushroom pendant into his mouth, and speaks around it. “Can’t cuddle so well at work. But here, we can cuddle and keep you warm.”

Hartley lets out a teary laugh and snuggles between them. “You know, I could get used to this snuggling thing.”

“Good.” Barry rests his head on Hartley’s shoulder. “Because I don’t think we’re doing much else.”

As it happens, he’s called out immediately thereafter to foil a Christmas Rogue heist. (Snart is in fine form, joking with Barry about not taking a day off on a holiday he doesn’t celebrate.) When Barry returns home, invigorated from play-fighting with his nemesis, Cisco and Hartley are waiting with a Christmas movie all lined up. 

“I’m kinda too keyed up to snuggle?” Barry glances back toward the door. “Snowball fight first? And then maybe some snuggles.”

So that’s what they do. An hour later, caked with snow and utterly frozen, they traipse back in. “Okay,” Cisco proclaims, struggling out of his winter coat. “Now you can make hot chocolate.”

Barry speeds off to do just that. By the time the hot chocolate is ready, Cisco has set up a Christmas movie, and Hartley is waiting with blankets. 

“Now snuggles?” he asks hopefully. Barry has never seen him look so shy. 

“Yes.” Barry carries over the mugs and joins his guys under the blankets. “Now snuggles.”

They end up falling asleep halfway through the movie. When Barry wakes just in time to throw together a rushed Christmas dinner, he reflects that they couldn’t have hoped for a better first holiday as a trio.


End file.
